Holiday bazaar Saturday to help children, families

Midland Daily News

Updated 9:52 am, Friday, November 17, 2017

Hope at the holidays sometimes is as hard to find as that rare gift for the person who has everything. Yet, the organizer of a locally based Go BACK Project sees a chance this Saturday to make both happen with a Mini Holiday Bazaar that will benefit children.

"Our goal is to meet multiple needs this weekend through our event," says Nikita Murry, president of The Go BACK Project, a Midland-based nonprofit that provides support to area children and their families. "We have an eclectic arrangement of vendors with some exciting items that would make great holiday gifts or unique items. We will also have good old southern fried chicken and fish dinners for a reasonable donation."

The bazaar fundraiser is from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the Faith Ministries Church Fellowship Hall, 3420 E. Ashman St. Admission is free to the public.

"Some of the people who have committed to this come from as far as Harrison and Detroit," Murry said. "No two vendors are the same."

Each year, The Go BACK Project helps young people get ready for school by providing quality backpacks and personal items necessary to get in a good mindset to learn. Additionally, the organization maintains ongoing relationships with youth and their families throughout the year to help create a healthy support system for children in families that may be stretched thin. It also works collaboratively with other child-centered organizations with similar missions.

"During this time of year we are intentional in our effort to respond to children in families where the adult caring for them might be doing their best financially but could use a little help. So, we're not looking for people who are already system connected. Those people will be fine. We want to support the family that's on the bubble."

Murry said she is motivated to help at Christmas in part because she remembers the great times she and her siblings enjoyed. As children, she and her brothers wanted for very little because their divorced mother worked very hard to make sure that happened for them.

"Our mother had a great network of family and friends who really helped her stay afloat at the holidays. I'm sure there were things that we missed having but those things were very few. I want that for other children."